X-Men Movie Spin-Off In The Works With DC Comics Writer

A DC Comics writer scripting a Marvel movie?

Though Disney may be working to acquire 21st Century Fox--and with it, the studio's film licenses--the X-Men franchise shows no signs of slowing down. With Deadpool 2, Dark Phoenix, and New Mutants all heading to theaters over the next two years, and a Gambit movie maybe happening someday, there's now another film project in the works set in that universe.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Deadpool director Tim Miller and comic book writer Brian Michael Bendis--who previously wrote several X-Men titles--are collaborating on a film about X-Men member Kitty Pryde. Miller will help the movie, with Bendis providing the script. The project is currently being developed under the title 143, which is a reference to an issue of Uncanny X-Men that served as Kitty Pryde's first solo story. News of a Kitty Pryde film being in the works was first reported by Collider in early January.

This won't be the first time Kitty Pryde has appeared in the X-Men films. The character, a mutant who can phase through solid objects, was played by Ellen Page in X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men: Days of Future Past. Pryde was also featured in the first two X-Men films, though in a much smaller role played by different actresses.

The news of the movie's creative team is surprising, given that Bendis left Marvel--the company behind the X-Men comics--in November, signing an exclusive deal with DC Comics. His partnership with DC will see the writer who created the characters Jessica Jones and Miles Morales relaunch Superman. Still, he's essentially confirmed the reports on Twitter, reposting several stories about the film project.

There is no announced release date for the Kitty Pryde movie. Presumably, there is no actor attached to the title role at this point.